Carolina Mountain Club
Hike - Save trails - Make friends
September 18, 2009
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| Upcoming Hikes | Hike Reports |Maintenance Schedule |
| Happenings in the next three weeks | October is MST month |
| Other News | Sign up for the CMC dinner |
| Book Review | New Mountains-to-Sea Book by Walt Weber |
| Conservation | Fire Towers get a boost |
| Heard on the Ground | Several A.T. sections available |
| The Small Print | Deadlines, change of addresses and other details |
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From Your Editor Have you signed up for the CMC Annual dinner? Use the insert that came with the Let's Go. 1. Meet your new CMC officers What's Happening In the Next Three Weeks October is Mountains-to-Sea Trail Month
So go out and work on the MST. Also, you can hike, walk, canoe or bike it.
Cradle of Forestry Program at Diamond Brand Outdoors - Tuesday September 22 Learn the history of logging and the Cradle of Forestry in Western North Carolina. Check out the details. John Muir Portrayal on Oct. 8 The Western North Carolina Alliance invites you to an evening around the campfire with America's best known conservationist, John Muir. Founder of the Sierra Club, leading naturalist, dedicated mountaineer and wilderness explorer, author, philosopher, and story-teller, Muir is also credited by many Americans as the architect of our National Park system. John Muir and his legacy have influenced the preservation of our country's natural environment far beyond what most of us can imagine. Actor Lee Stetson has captured all of these qualities in his stirring portrayals of John Muir, which have been seen by thousands of people around the world for more than 20 years. Join WNCA and presenting sponsor the Villages at Crest Mountain on October 8 at 7:00 pm at the Crest Pavilion for Lee Stetson's Conversations with a Tramp. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door, and $25 for WNCA members. Admission includes a reception and a tour of Asheville's newest eco-community, the Villages at Crest Mountain. To reserve a seat or for more information, call 828-258-8737 or go to www.wnca.org. National Parks Film on PBS
See all the details. The black and white photo was taken by George Masa, a CMC member in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of the Pack Library, North Carolina Collection. Sign up for the CMC Annual Dinner and Meeting - Saturday Oct. 24 The CMC annual dinner and meeting on Saturday Oct. 24 will be held at the Chariot in Hendersonville. We are fortunate to have Ron Sullivan as the speaker for the evening. Ron is writing a book on the history of the logging operations in the mountains. Ron is a hiker so he will be able to relate the logging operations to the trails we hike on In addition, the new MST Trails Profiles book, written by Walt Weber for CMC, will be launched. This is your chance to get an autographed copy at a bargain price. Read the book review.
Call for Volunteers on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The hours would be from 11am-4pm, mostly needed on the weekends but also during the week when folks are available. We would be willing to provide training, of course. Interested? Contact Bambi Teague at 828-271-4779 X-209, or at bambi_teague@nps.gov Bike Trip on the Greenbrier Trail in West Virginia - Oct. 9 - 12
We would leave on Fri. 9th and return Mon. 12th. The trail is 80 miles in length. Lodging is available and we will be looking into various facilities. As soon as I have several commitments I will arrange lodging. At this time I do not have any deadline to commit for the trip. I hope to make some tentative lodging arrangements within the next week or two. If you are interested please let me know as soon as possible by e-mail to carrollkoepp@bellsouth.net . Carroll Koepplinger 828-667-0723
Trail Profiles and Maps from the Great Smokies to Mount Mitchell and Beyond
The book includes the trail profile maps that have been so successful in the past and lots of new history, including a large section on Buck Spring Lodge. It has been blurbed by many prominent people. Here's an example: Walt Weber and the Carolina Mountain Club continue to provide the hiker with an excellent guidebook and historical background of sites along the MST. The CMC is a power house club that keeps our trails well-maintained in Western North Carolina. Jeff Brewer, President of the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Don't let the long title fool you. This is a must book for everyone reading this review. The book will be available at a special price of $10 at the CMC annual dinner Oct. 24. Rehabilitation of Forest Service Fire Towers The North Carolina chapter of the FFLA is excited to announce that the USFS has been allocated $734,000 for the restoration of CCC shelters and lookout towers on national forests in North Carolina.
Wayah Bald is the only specific tower mentioned in the USFS report and will received substantial rehabilitation of its recently deteriorated stonework. While this funding allocation will be shared with other CCC built structures such as trail shelters on the Appalachian Trail, Croatan National Forest and Wilson Lick Ranger Station near Wayah Bald, the report extensively itemizes repairs to lookout towers including the replacement or rehabilitation of tower roofs, doors, windows, screens, stairs, floors, cabs and structure. Of particular importance is the mention of improving safety for visitors, which may allow for the opportunity of lookout access dates for hikers in the future to those towers that are currently locked. More specific information regarding future USFS lookout tower restorations in western North Carolina will be posted at http://nclookouts.blogspot.com. All of these USFS fire towers are included in the CMC's Lookout Tower Challenge (LTC) hiking program. Peter J. Barr Director, NC Chapter - Forest Fire Lookout Association Write about your National Park Work - Paid or Volunteer
See the announcement. The picture to the left is of Chasm Lake at Rocky Mountains National Park
Letters to the Editor Thanks for the great report on your day at the Smokies 75th! I was so sorry I couldn't go, but your report helped me experience it vicariously. Much appreciated. Perhaps I can make the 100th as well. Becky Correction CMC Backpack Rescheduled Here are the details. BACKPACK NO. B0904-188 Oct. 23-25 Nov. 6-8 Clingmans Dome to Mingus Mill *7:30 AM Hike 26, Drive 150, 5500 ft. ascent, 9000 ft. descent, Rated AA+-AA+ Paul Benson, 828-251-1909, pdbenson@charter.net SB6K, 900M *Note earlier start time. This two-night, three-day backpack will follow the MST from Clingmans Dome to Mingus Mill near US 441. Stay at campsite #54 on Deep Creek the first night and #52 near Newton Bald the next night. The hike is strenuous and limited to experienced backpackers, limited to a group size of 8. Hikers must contact leader to reserve a space. *Meeting places: meeting place(s) to be arranged with leader. Topos: Clingmans Dome, Smokemont; also NatGeo map #229 Adopt a Section of the A.T. Garenflo Gap to Deer Park Mtn. Shelter, 3.4 miles Current Section Maintainer needs assistant Adopt a Section of the MST Old Bald Access to Richland Balsam Access, 4.4 miles, section maintainer needs an assistant Richland Gap Access to Richland Balsam Access (3 Trees) 1.2 miles Walnut Cove Overlook to Hardtimes Road, 1.2 miles Balsam Gap Overlook to Rainbow Gap 2.4 miles If you're interested in either the A.T. or MST, email Don Walton. Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton
The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, October 9. Wednesday hike reports for the hike just before the eNews comes out will be published in the next eNews. Hiker leaders, please send all your eNews hike reports and photos to Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net So send me your news and maintenance reports by Tuesday evening at 9 P.M. before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Tuesday evening October 6, 2009 to Danny Bernstein at danny@hikertohiker.com. Include your email address at the end of your story. Thank you. The CMC Calendar is meant to answer the perennial question "When is this happening again?" It is also meant to prevent conflicts between competing CMC events. Please check it often. How to join the Carolina Mountain Club If you are a non-member subscriber, you need to go back to the | ||||
Danny Bernstein
danny@hikertohiker.com
Governor Bev Perdue proclaimed October as 
Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea is coming to PBS starting on Sunday September 27 for six episodes, shown each night of that week. It is more than just beautiful scenery but focuses on the history of the parks chosen. The series spends more than 45 minutes on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Horace Kephart and George Masa.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is looking for volunteers to help out ASAP in the Craggy Gardens picnic area, educating visitors on the bear problems we have been having there. Volunteers would be needed through the end of October.
Several CMC members that bike are considering a bike trip to the Greenbrier (Rails-to-Trails) trail in West Virginia. We are scheduling it for Oct 9th thru 12th. It is approximately a 7 hour drive one way. See 
Walt Weber has done it again! He's written a new edition of the MST "Blue Book" that we all have in our library and daypack. This time, he's included all the new miles that CMC now maintains - from Soco Gap (Blue Ridge Parkway MP 455.4) to NC 80 close to Mt. Mitchell campground (Blue Ridge Parkway MP 344).
This federal stimulus money, received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is the largest allocation of funding for fire tower restorations ever in North Carolina. While specific projects are still being itemized, it is expected that partial or complete rehabilitation of eight lookout towers in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests may be included. These include: Joanna Bald, Albert Mountain, Panther Top, Rich Mountain, Camp Creek Bald, Fryingpan Mountain, and Green Knob (shown here).
Bona Fide Books seeks literary essays about experiences living and working in any US National Park for a collection about life in our parks. This can be paid or volunteer work.